It’s Here! “Recipes from a Halfling’s Pantry: lots of these” ebook

I can’t pinpoint the exact moment when our eyes met, Amalia’s and mine, I mean–and it occurred to us that writing a Hobbit-inspired cookbook was something that we really needed to do. Our eyes met, a flood of realization washed over us, we grinned, and our course of work was set for the next few months.

It could have been after I had posted Amalia’s marvelous and popular recipe for Lembas bread, perhaps, or maybe after we threw a mini-party with Hobbit-inspired meat pies for the main course? Or maybe it was after folks at our local farmer’s market went crazy for the Hobbit-inspired seed cakes that we made and sold. Or maybe it was after we did a charcuterie spread with my sister Mollie for our yearly family camping trip, and somebody mentioned that Bilbo really would enjoy such a feast.

Somewhere in there, we decided that–by and large–we cook, and eat, and grow and hoard and put by food, much like J.R.R. Tolkien’s mystical comfort-seeking, hairy-footed people–the Hobbits. We decided that, in our approach to food–but for the hairy feet, the smaller stature, and the residing in Tolkien’s Middle Earth–we are Hobbits.

Fussing over food, talking about food, planning food-themed events, and of course preparing and eating the best types of food–all of these things bring us joy. Bringing together great food with friends and family, and enjoying the fruits of our labors is indeed a joyous thing, isn’t it?

And the fact that our extended family and our friends feel much the same way, is a source of constant joy, as well. We are blessed!

Have you thought of this? Hobbits were locavores. Hobbits insisted on organic veg, because, of course, they grew their own. Hobbits enjoyed meat, but it was good meat–raised or caught by themselves or a trusted farmer in the region. Gosh, if Hobbits were real and existing today, I might even venture to say that they’d be at the farmer’s markets, selling their extra bunches of herbs and root veggies to folks in the area. They’d be leaving bags of zucchini on the doorsteps of their neighbors. Wow. Hobbits would be trendy in our foodie culture, as we try to do better than the corporate farm, mass-produced, nutrient-poor convenience foods that glut our grocery stores.

There is so much wonder and delight to be had, for those who take the time to become involved with the natural world and the fruits that it will, with some coaxing, provide. I believe this. I also know that Tolkien believed it.

“If you really want to know what Middle-earth is based on,” said Tolkien, “it’s my wonder and delight in the earth as it is, particularly the natural earth.”

Tolkien and I would have been kindred spirits, I just know it.

So, realizing that we are, in fact, Hobbits ourselves, Amalia and I set to work cooking and developing recipes that would be suitable in a Hobbit cookery book. Meat pies, to eat out-of-hand. Ginger cream scones. Raspberry and roasted walnut scones. Short ribs roasted with root vegetables. We made everything with fresh and simple ingredients that might be available in Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Not all recipes made the cut. We used chickens from our place, and herbs and veg from our own garden, in the recipes. We picked apples from a generous orchard owner, to squeeze our own apple cider, and to slice and fold into apple hand pies. We did everything as much as possible as we might imagine a Hobbit doing it.

We had several impromptu dinner parties with family and friends, who were eager to help taste-test our Meat Pies and our Superfluous Rooster and Dumplings, or our Two-Berry Tarts. We never lacked eager tasters. All in all, it has been a completely fattening satisfying experience.

And now our ebook is finished, and we are pleased to share it with you, Gentle Reader. We owe a lot to our designer Andrew Miller, who took our ideas and photos and recipes and put them all in a beautiful book form, never once scolding us for eleventh-hour updates, and cheering us on the entire time. Also to our lovely community of family and friends, who kept us plugging away, with their excitement and interest, and willing bellies. 🙂

Here it is . . . take a look . . . isn’t it pretty?

“Recipes from a Halfling’s Pantry: (lots of these)” is available today in ebook form. It is 84 pages long, with 33 recipes which have all been developed, tested, tasted, and photographed by Amalia and me in our microscopic kitchen. They are all original recipes. A few of them (as noted above) have been published on my blog, but most of them have not.

Here are a few:

–Sonia’s Ale Stew

–Rooster and Dumplings

–Cherry Pie Squares

–Meat Pies

–Two-Berry Tart

–Honey Cakes

You’ll have to buy the book to find out what else is in it! And here’s a note about buying. For the first 10 days (that is, until February 21–but only the first 10 days–) we are offering this wonderful Halfling foodie resource as a Pay-What-You-Want deal. PWYW enables those college students who may have one or two dollars to their names only, to get this new cookbook for a buck or two. Or it also makes it possible for anybody who’d like to make a small (or a sizable!) donation to our blogging efforts, to do that, too.

So . . . click on the link below,decide what you’d like to pay, and enjoy creating your own Hobbit dishes! Any income we get from this book, we’ll roll back into our blogging activities (though we’ll pay our designer, first, no worries, Andrew ;)).

I’ve always wondered what your secret source for all those wonderful recipes was. You been hanging out with a hobbit or two. Not sure about the hairy feet, you are wearing shoes in the picture…could you be hiding something…..Got the book, will be enjoying the recipes within the week…..

Wow, congratulations on completing your book! And what a great idea as well. Writing a book takes time and dedication, but a book such as this one I would imagine requires a lot more work and dedication.. pictures, cooking, testing, cooking again. Best of wishes with your book!

LOVE it! The photos area gorgeous and the recipes sound delish! Can’t wait to try some!
Now…. if you two need some T-shirts to advertise what you do, drop MY daughter and I a note ~ that’s what WE are doing! Lol!!
Hugs from NH!

This looks like fun. I’m many fans of Tolkein will be enjoying this. Just reading this post made my mouth water.
Middle Earth sounds glorious. I’ve watched bits and pieces of the Hobbit but always fall asleep. I should just read the book as they seem to hold my attention better.

Just downloaded your ebook and I cannot wait to start cooking! Do you think a hard cover will ever be available? I’m such a hold, cuddle, smell kinda person when it comes to loved books especially as they age. It’s so beautiful that I just want to put it on display! Thank you to you both for making this awesome book available!

This is a great cook book, not only do the recipes sound awesome, but the writing is so fun to read. Great photos too, I look forward to trying all of these out as may be human, I hunger like an ogre! Thank you for putting this together (for the fans by the fans), I look forward to the day where I can share this with my child and cook these dishes in the kitchen together. Good luck on all of your future endeavors!

Kevin,
Your kind words really made my day! Be sure to let us know when you start to cook from the cookbook–we love to share pictures and experiences on our websites! I can assure you that we’ve tested (and tasted!) and tweaked all these recipes ourselves, in our miniscule kitchen, and they are all delicious! Happy cooking and baking!

…And I forgot to mention, that it was only by happenstance that I came across your book, because I was talking with someone yesterday about how their Alaskan biscuit tastes what I would think Lembas bread would taste like, and today, thanks to Bing.com, I found you! Thanks again!

Last week we made Elven Lembas Bread and Gollum’s Fried Fish Cakes. Oh, my goodness! Both recipes yielded delicious results. This week, we hope to make Fried Apples and Custard (for separate desserts; we want to stretch out the yumminess!) Although we liked the recipes, my DD and I agree that the photos and text really make this cookbook something special. Thanks for so much goodness and fun. God bless.

M,
What a blessing your comment was to both of us! Thank you so much. We are so happy that you are enjoying the cookbook, and keep the stories coming! We’d love to hear about your halfling cooking and eating adventures! Thanks again.

Amy, herself. :)

Amy is married to good husband Bryan, and Mum to six smart alecks, Amma to five cutie-pies, and follower of Jesus. She lives on a few windy acres in Nebraska, with a motley assortment of chickens, too many roosters, cats, dogs, and one goose named Lucy. Her garden is too big, her house is never clean, and she'd always rather be OUTSIDE.

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